Chilled product dispensing apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for refrigerating and dispensing soft serve food products from one or more containers of product maintained at temperatures, respectively, appropriate for the products. The containers comprise flexible and impermeable bags having heat sink structures contained therein and the apparatus includes respective container receptacles and a refrigeration system having cooling sections located adjacent the respective receptacles wherein the cooling sections are aligned with the heat sink structures of the containers when the containers are seated within the receptacles. Adjustable refrigerant controls are provided for controlling the flow of refrigerant to the respective cooling sections and a monitoring system, including pneumatic and electric control circuits, provides signals corresponding to the volume of space in a container receptacle external of the flexible bag to detect the existence of an empty or nearly empty container. The monitoring system includes a comparison and logic circuit as well as signal generators for indicating that a product container is empty. The refrigerant system is also operable in a defrosting mode for raising the temperatures of the products in the respective containers and for deicing the containers and receptacles.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus for refrigerating containers of soft serve food products and for dispensing the soft serve products, each product container having an outlet, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of product container receptacles each adapted to receive a product container inserted therein respectively;   refrigeration means, having respective cooling sections located adjacent each of the receptacles for cooling each of the receptacles and any product container contained therein;   dispensing means, connectable in communication with product containers inserted within the receptacles, respectively, for dispensing a quantity of the product disposed in the product containers, respectively; and   the refrigeration means further comprising means for conducting refrigerant to the respective cooling sections and for selectively controlling the temperature within each receptacle controlling refrigerant flow to the respective cooling sections adjacent each receptacle for controlling the temperatures of the food product in the product containers, respectively, appropriate for different food products in the respective product containers.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the refrigeration means comprises means for compressing and condensing a refrigerant and for selectively conducting the condensed refrigerant to the respective cooling sections. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the product containers comprise elongated impervious containers having heat sink structures contained therein, respectively, wherein the heat sink structure of each respective product container comprises an elongated structure extending within the respective product container, and wherein the cooling section comprises conduit means for circulating refrigerant adjacent the heat sink structure of a respective product container and for removing heat from the heat sink structure and the food product contained within the product container. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the cooling sections adjacent the respective receptacles each comprise a conduit which extends peripherally around the receptacle. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising adjustable thermostatic temperature control means for permitting independent control of the temperature maintained within each respective product container. 
     
     
       6. Apparatus for refrigerating containers of soft serve food products and for dispensing the soft serve products, each product container comprising an elongated, impervious container having an outlet at one end, the apparatus comprising: a housing;   a plurality of product container receptacles supported within the housing and adapted to receive respective product containers removably inserted therein;   refrigeration means for cooling the product container receptacles and any product containers inserted therein;   dispensing means, connectable with the outlets of the product containers, for dispensing a quantity of the food product contained within a selected one of the product containers, respectively, the dispensing means comprising a plurality of dispensing units operatively associated with the respective product container receptacles, each unit having a dispensing valve connectable with the outlet of a respective product container, and an actuator system operatively connected to the dispensing valve of each respective dispensing unit and comprising a piston operably connected to the dispensing valve and disposed in a chamber formed in an actuator housing, and means for causing pressure fluid to flow to said chamber to effect gradual opening of said dispensing valve to provide a gradually accelerating flow of food product from a respective product container.   
     
     
       7. Apparatus for refrigerating a plurality of product containers of soft serve food product and for dispensing quantities of soft serve food product from a selected one of the product containers, the apparatus comprising: a housing;   a plurality of product container receptacles mounted within the housing for receiving respective product containers;   a refrigeration system having a compressor, a condenser, and a plurality of evaporator sections mounted within the housing adjacent respective ones of the product container receptacles;   a plurality of refrigerant supply means, connected between the condenser and respective ones of the evaporator sections, for conducting condensed refrigerant to the respective evaporator sections;   means for selectively controlling the refrigerant flow to the respective evaporator sections for controlling the temperatures of the food products in the respective product containers appropriate for different food products in the respective product containers; and   product dispensing units removably mountable in communication with respective containers of soft serve product.   
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the evaporator sections comprise respective conduits positioned adjacent the respective product container receptacles. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the product container receptacles comprise elongated barrels for receiving the respective product containers and wherein the evaporator sections comprise respective cooling coils extending around the periphery of the respective product container barrels. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the product containers are of a type having an open end having a heat sink structure provided therein and a closed end spaced from the heat sink structure, and wherein the evaporator sections are positioned adjacent and in alignment with the heat sink structures of respective product containers, upon the product containers being seated within the respective product container receptacles. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a defrosting system comprising means, connected with the outlet of the compressor and communicating with the evaporator sections, for conducting compressed, heated refrigerant in gaseous form through the evaporator sections, respectively. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising means for supplying gas under a first pressure to the respective product containers for effecting extrusion of the soft serve product. 
     
     
       13. Apparatus for refrigerating product containers of soft serve food products and for selectively dispensing quantities of the soft serve products, the product containers each comprising an elongated, impervious, flexible bag having an outlet at one end, the apparatus comprising: a housing;   a plurality of chilled receptacle means for receiving respective product containers, each receptacle means having an outlet connectable in communication with the open end portion of a respective flexible product container contained therein and having a barrel section adapted for receiving the product container;   refrigeration means for cooling the barrels of the receptacle means and any product containers therein;   dispensing means for dispensing a selected product contained within a container inserted in one of the product container receptacles by compressing its flexible bag to cause the food product to flow outwardly through the outlet;   a monitoring system, comprising means for detecting the exhaustion of substantially all of the food product contained within the respective product containers by monitoring the volume of a fluid exhausted from a space within the product receptacle means and external of the flexible bags, respectively.   
     
     
       14. Apparatus for refrigerating containers of soft serve food products and for dispensing the soft serve food products, each container comprising an elongated, impervious product container having an outlet at one end, the apparatus comprising: a housing;   a plurality of product container receptacles supported within the housing and adapted to receive respective product containers removably inserted therein;   refrigeration means for cooling the product container receptacles and any product containers inserted therein;   dispensing means, connectable with the outlets of the product containers, for dispensing a quantity of the food product contained within a selected one of the product containers, the dispensing means comprising a plurality of dispensing units operatively associated with the respective product container receptacles, each dispensing unit having a dispensing valve connectable with the outlet of a respective product container;   an actuator system operatively connected to the dispensing valve of each respective dispensing unit and comprising an actuator having a piston member operatively connected to the respective dispensing valve, first and second piston chamber sections being defined on opposite sides of the piston member, the actuator system further comprising an accumulator containing a liquid medium and having communication with the first chamber section, and further comprising means for applying a gas under a first pressure within the accumulator for causing the liquid medium to flow from the accumulator to the first chamber section for translating the piston member toward the second chamber section and for opening the dispensing valve; and   means for shutting off the flow of gas to the accumulator and for applying a gas under a second, lower pressure to the second chamber section for opposing movement of the piston member toward the second chamber section, and, upon pressure within the first chamber section being reduced, for translating the piston member toward the first chamber section and closing the dispensing valve.   
     
     
       15. Apparatus for refrigerating containers of soft serve food products and for dispensing the soft serve food products, each container comprising an elongated, impervious product container having an outlet at one end, the apparatus comprising: a housing;   a plurality of product container receptacles supported within the housing and adapted to receive respective product containers removably inserted therein;   refrigeration means for cooling the product container receptacles and any product containers inserted therein;   dispensing means, connectable with the outlets of the product containers, for dispensing a quantity of the food product contained within a selected one of the product containers, the dispensing means comprising a plurality of dispensing units operatively associated with the respective product container receptacles, each dispensing unit having a dispensing valve connectable with the outlet of a respective product container, further comprising an actuator system operatively connected to the dispensing valve of each respective dispensing unit; and   means for supplying gas to the respective dispensing units under a first pressure and under a second pressure, comprising a single air compressor, a first reservoir adapted to receive gas under said first pressure, a second reservoir adapted to receive gas under a second pressure lower than said first pressure, and regulating and valving means connected between the compressor and the first and second reservoirs for supplying gas under said first pressure to the respective dispensing units and for supplying gas from the second reservoir under a third pressure, lower than said first and second pressures, to the dispensing units.   
     
     
       16. Apparatus for refrigerating a plurality of product containers of soft serve food product and for dispensing quantities of soft serve food product from a selected one of the product containers, the apparatus comprising: a housing;   a plurality of product container receptacles mounted within the housing for receiving respective product containers;   product dispensing units removably mountable in communication with the respective product containers;   a refrigeration system having a compressor, a condenser, and a plurality of evaporator sections mounted within the housing adjacent respective ones of the product container receptacles;   a plurality of refrigerant supply means, connected between the condenser and respective ones of the evaporator sections, for conducting condensed refrigerant to the respective evaporator sections;   means for selectively controlling the refrigerant flow to the respective evaporator sections; and   a defrosting system comprising means, connected with the outlet of the compressor and communicating with the evaporator sections, for conducting compressed, heated refrigerant in gaseous form through the evaporator sections, said defrosting system comprising means for increasing the temperature of the product container receptacles for thawing ice deposits which may have formed between the product container receptacles and any product containers therein, respectively.   
     
     
       17. Apparatus for refrigerating a plurality of product containers of soft serve food product and for dispensing quantities of soft serve food product from a selected one of the product containers, the apparatus comprising: a housing,   a plurality of product container receptacles mounted within the housing for receiving respective product containers;   product dispensing units removably mountable in communication with respective product containers of soft serve food product;   a refrigeration system having a compressor, a condenser, and a plurality of evaporator sections mounted within the housing adjacent respective ones of the product container receptacles;   a plurality of refrigerant supply means, connected between the condenser and respective ones of the evaporator sections, for conducting condensed refrigerant to the respective evaporator sections;   means for selectively controlling the refrigerant flow to the respective evaporator sections; and   a defrosting system comprising means, connected with the outlet of the compressor and communicating with the evaporator sections, for conducting compressed, heated refrigerant in gaseous form through the evaporator sections, said defrosting system including a manifold and conduits connected to the manifold for supplying refrigerant to the respective evaporator sections and valving means for permitting flow of refrigerant to the evaporator sections from the compressor and preventing any reverse flow of refrigerant to the manifold.   
     
     
       18. Apparatus for refrigerating product containers of soft serve food products and for selectively dispensing quantities of the soft serve food products, the product containers each comprising an elongated, impervious, flexible bag having an outlet at one end, the apparatus comprising: a housing;   a plurality of chilled receptacle means for receiving respective product containers, each receptacle means having an outlet connectable in communication with an open end portion of a respective product container contained therein and having a barrel section adapted for receiving the product container;   refrigeration means for cooling the barrel sections of the receptacles means, respectively, and any food product therein;   dispensing means for dispensing a selected product contained within a product container inserted in one of the receptacle means by compressing its flexible bag to cause the food product to flow outwardly through the outlet; and   a monitoring system, comprising means for detecting the exhaustion of substantially all of the food product contained within the respective product containers, the monitoring system including means operable for monitoring the volume within the receptacle means and external of the flexible bags, respectively, the monitoring system further comprising means for introducing a gas within each receptacle means and within a respective product container inserted therein, external of the flexible bag of the respective product container, and for determining the volume of the residual space within the product container relative to a predetermined volume corresponding to a product empty condition, by comparing the volume of gas within the residual space with that associated with a product empty condition.   
     
     
       19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the gas introduced within the residual space within a respective one of the receptacle means is exhausted through a restrictive orifice and wherein the time required for the gas to fall from a first pressure to a second pressure is compared with a predetermined value corresponding to a condition in which the food product within the respective product container has been substantially exhausted.